Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Nidhi Jalan-Sakrikar, Abid Anwar, Usman Yaqoob, Can Gan, Anthony B. Lagnado, Alexander Q. Wixom, Diana Jurk, Robert C. Huebert
Summary: This study investigated the mechanistic relationship between telomere damage and biliary fibrosis in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). The results showed telomere attrition and reduced telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) expression in patients with PSC. Cellular models demonstrated that telomere dysfunction can lead to senescence and fibrosis, which can be rescued by modulating TERT levels.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ji-Won Park, Jung-Hee Kim, Sung-Eun Kim, Jang Han Jung, Myoung-Kuk Jang, Sang-Hoon Park, Myung-Seok Lee, Hyoung-Su Kim, Ki Tae Suk, Dong Joon Kim
Summary: Cholangiopathies are various biliary diseases that affect the biliary epithelium and can lead to cholestasis and liver cirrhosis. Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are the most important progressive cholangiopathies in adults, with research focusing on genetic risk, epigenetic changes, dysregulated mucosal immunity, and altered biliary epithelial cell function. Understanding the molecular pathogenesis of these diseases can help clinicians prevent and treat them more effectively.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Roopa H. Nanjundappa, Urs Christen, Channakeshava S. Umeshappa
Summary: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are two major autoimmune liver diseases. PBC primarily affects intrahepatic small bile duct epithelial cells in women, while PSC mainly affects medium and big bile duct epithelial cells in men. Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a malignancy arising from cholangiocytes and is more prevalent in PSC patients than in PBC patients. Understanding the immune surveillance mechanisms that differentiate between PBC and PSC patients is crucial for developing effective therapies and early diagnosis of CCA.
HEPATOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Roopa H. Nanjundappa, Urs Christen, Channakeshava S. Umeshappa
Summary: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are two significant autoimmune liver diseases. PBC primarily affects small bile duct epithelial cells in women, while PSC predominantly affects medium and large intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile duct epithelial cells in men. Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a malignancy arising from cholangiocytes and its incidence is increasing worldwide. Although PBC patients rarely develop CCA compared to PSC patients, understanding the differences in immune surveillance mechanisms is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment.
HEPATOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Raanan Greenman, Michal Segal-Salto, Neta Barashi, Ophir Hay, Avi Katav, Omer Levi, Ilan Vaknin, Revital Aricha, Sarit Aharoni, Tom Snir, Inbal Mishalian, Devorah Olam, Johnny Amer, Ahmad Salhab, Rifaat Safadi, Yaakov Maor, Palak Trivedi, Christopher J. Weston, Francesca Saffioti, Andrew Hall, Massimo Pinzani, Douglas Thorburn, Amnon Peled, Adi Mor
Summary: CCL24 is involved in fibrosis and inflammation in liver and its inhibition can reduce liver injury. This study found that blocking CCL24 improves inflammation, fibrosis, and cholestasis in PSC, and reduces proliferation and senescence of cholangiocytes.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Fuat H. Saner, Alexandra Frey, Bjoern-Ole Stueben, Dieter P. Hoyer, Katharina Willuweit, Martina Daniel, Jassin Rashidi-Alavieh, Jurgen W. Treckmann, Hartmut H. Schmidt
Summary: In this retrospective study of 82 patients who underwent liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), the authors assessed morbidity, survival rates, PSC recurrence, and the impact of donor characteristics in long-term follow-up. The study showed that PSC patients had excellent 10-year survival rates and a lower lab-MELD score was associated with longer survival. Donor characteristics did not affect patient survival.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Julian Hercun, Mazen Noureddin, Nabil Noureddin, Jason Eccleston, Daniel Woolridge, T. Jake Liang, Michele Tana, David E. Kleiner, Gracia Viana Rodriguez, Christopher Koh, Jay H. Hoofnagle, Theo Heller
Summary: This study evaluated the involvement of bile duct and disease progression in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and found that bile duct injury does not follow the same course as fibrosis, and certain indicators are associated with ductopenia progression.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Xi Li, Yan Li, Jintao Xiao, Huiwen Wang, Yan Guo, Xiuru Mao, Pan Shi, Yanliang Hou, Xiaoxun Zhang, Nan Zhao, Minghua Zheng, Yonghong He, Jingjing Ding, Ya Tan, Min Liao, Ling Li, Ying Peng, Xuan Li, Qiong Pan, Qiaoling Xie, Qiao Li, Jianwei Li, Ying Li, Zhe Chen, Yongxiu Huang, David N. Assis, Shi-Ying Cai, James L. Boyer, Xuequan Huang, Can-E Tang, Xiaowei Liu, Shifang Peng, Jin Chai
Summary: The numbers of DUOX2(+)ACE2(+) small cholangiocytes are inversely associated with disease severity in PBC. They may be the target of pIgR-mediated humoral responses. Protecting these cells and targeting anti-pIgR autoantibodies could be valuable strategies for therapeutic interventions in PBC.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Burcin Oezdirik, Tobias Mueller, Alexander Wree, Frank Tacke, Michael Sigal
Summary: PSC is an immune-related cholangiopathy associated with high progression rates to end-stage liver disease and risk of various cancers. Emerging evidence suggests a link between gut microbiota and disease pathogenesis, with studies showing differences in the gut microbiome of PSC patients compared to healthy individuals and those with IBD. Further research is needed to understand the role of gut microbiota in PSC and related malignancies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Thomas W. Warnes, Stephen A. Roberts, Alexander Smith, Victor M. Cope, Patricia Vales, Raymond McMahon
Summary: This study found that measurement of baseline portal pressure is of significant prognostic value in primary biliary cholangitis, providing additional predictive information beyond Mayo score and Ludwig stage.
LIVER INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Debashis Haldar, Ashnila Janmohamed, Tim Plant, Matthew Davidson, Hannah Norman, Emily Russell, Olivia Serevina, Kenneth Chung, Kashif Qamar, Bridget Gunson, Bettina Hansen, Alex Richter, Palak J. Trivedi, Gideon M. Hirschfield
Summary: In patients with PBC, the presence of anti-gp210 autoantibodies is associated with adverse clinical manifestations, predicts treatment non-response, and independently predicts decreased transplant-free survival.
LIVER INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Omar Y. Mousa, Brian D. Juran, Bryan M. McCauley, Mette N. Vesterhus, Trine Folseraas, Coleman T. Turgeon, Ahmad H. Ali, Erik M. Schlicht, Elizabeth J. Atkinson, Chang Hu, Denise Harnois, Elizabeth J. Carey, Andrea A. Gossard, Devin Oglesbee, John E. Eaton, Nicholas F. LaRusso, Gregory J. Gores, Tom H. Karlsen, Konstantinos N. Lazaridis
Summary: In patients with PSC, alterations in plasma BA consistent with cholestasis, UDCA treatment, and IBD were observed. BA profiles were able to predict future hepatic decompensation, demonstrating the clinical potential of BA profiling for use in clinical trials.
Article
Immunology
Emanual Maverakis, Alexander A. Merleev, Dayoung Park, Muchena J. Kailemia, Gege Xu, L. Renee Ruhaak, Kyoungmi Kim, Qiuting Hong, Qiongyu Li, Patrick Leung, William Liakos, Yu-Jui Yvonne Wan, Christopher L. Bowlus, Alina I. Marusina, Nelvish N. Lal, Yixuan Xie, Guillaume Luxardi, Carlito B. Lebrilla
Summary: The study utilized MRM mass spectrometry to characterize glycan alterations associated with PBC and PSC, resulting in multi-analyte diagnostic models capable of accurately distinguishing the diseases. Additionally, the research investigated how environmental factors, such as bile acids, can influence glycosylation and potentially lead to the generation of altered selfantigens as immune targets.
CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jessica Katharine Dyson, Alasdair Blain, Mark David Foster Shirley, Mark Hudson, Steven Rushton, David Emrys Jeffreys Jones
Summary: This study investigates the potential environmental contributors to autoimmune liver diseases (AILD) such as primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Significant spatial clustering of PBC and PSC patients was observed, with distinct risk profiles and associations with different environmental factors and socio-economic statuses identified. This suggests different triggers and alternative pathways determine the phenotypic expression of autoimmunity in the affected population.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xu Wang, Yi Wei, Yanlei Yang, Yunjiao Yang, Haolong Li, Yongzhe Li, Fengchun Zhang, Li Wang
Summary: This article reviews the recent progress in PBC animal models, highlighting their limitations and connection with clinical practice.
CELL AND BIOSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Mathias Jachs, Lukas Hartl, Benedikt Simbrunner, David Bauer, Rafael Paternostro, Lorenz Balcar, Benedikt Hofer, Nikolaus Pfisterer, Michael Schwarz, Bernhard Scheiner, Albert F. Staettermayer, Matthias Pinter, Michael Trauner, Mattias Mandorfer, Thomas Reiberger
Summary: In this study, it was found that carvedilol is more effective than propranolol in the secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding, as it induces more significant reductions in hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) and is associated with lower rates of rebleeding, liver-related death, and further nonbleeding decompensation.
CLINICAL GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Michael Trauner, Christopher L. Bowlus, Aliya Gulamhusein, Bilal Hameed, Stephen H. Caldwell, Mitchell L. Shiffman, Charles Landis, Andrew J. Muir, Andrew Billin, Jun Xu, Xiangyu Liu, Xiaomin Lu, Chuhan Chung, Robert P. Myers, Kris V. Kowdley
Summary: In this 96-week open-label extension study, Cilofexor was found to be safe and effective in improving liver function and biomarkers of cholestasis and cellular injury in patients with PSC.
CLINICAL GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jun Xu, Ya Wang, Mina Khoshdeli, Matt Peach, Jen-Chieh Chuang, Julie Lin, Wen-Wei Tsai, Sangeetha Mahadevan, Wesley Minto, Lauri Diehl, Ruchi Gupta, Michael Trauner, Keyur Patel, Mazen Noureddin, Kris Kowdley, Aliya Gulamhusein, Christopher L. Bowlus, Ryan S. Huss, Robert P. Myers, Chuhan Chung, Andrew N. Billin
Summary: This study evaluated IL-31 as a potential biomarker for pruritus in clinical trials of cilofexor, an FXR agonist, in patients with cholestatic liver diseases. IL-31 levels were found to be elevated in patients with PSC and PBC and correlated with serum bile acids. The study also showed that cilofexor therapy increased IL-31 levels in patients with NASH.
Letter
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Katharina Staufer, Brian Mangal, Michael Trauner
JOURNAL OF HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jasmin Zessner-Spitzenberg, Elisabeth Waldmann, Lena Jiricka, Lisa-Maria Rockenbauer, Anna Hinterberger, Jeremy Cook, Arno Asaturi, Aleksandra Szymanska, Barbara Majcher, Michael Trauner, Monika Ferlitsch
Summary: This study investigated the association of proximal serrated polyp detection rate (PSDR) and adenoma detection rate (ADR) with post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer (PCCRC) death. The results showed that both ADR and PSDR were significantly associated with PCCRC death. Therefore, striving for a high PSDR in addition to a high ADR may reduce the risk of PCCRC mortality in patients undergoing screening colonoscopy.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jasmin Zessner-Spitzenberg, Lena Jiricka, Elisabeth Waldmann, Lisa -Maria Rockenbauer, Jeremy Cook, Anna Hinterberger, Barbara Majcher, Aleksandra Szymanska, Arno Asaturi, Michael Trauner, Monika Ferlitsch
Summary: A retrospective study with 316,001 individuals revealed that polyps sized 10-20mm and high-grade dysplasia are significantly associated with post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer (PCCRC) mortality. Patients with polyps <10mm and without high-grade dysplasia have significantly lower PCCRC mortality compared to the general population, while those with polyps >10mm or with high-grade dysplasia do not have this advantage.
GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
David Chromy, David Bauer, Benedikt Simbrunner, Mathias Jachs, Lukas Hartl, Philipp Schwabl, Teresa Binter, Lisa Steininger, Caroline Schwarz, Armin Rieger, Katharina Grabmeier-Pfistershammer, Michael Trauner, Peter Ferenci, Markus Peck-Radosavljevic, Mattias Mandorfer, Thomas Reiberger
Summary: HCV cure rates in Viennese HIV patients increased significantly from 49% in the IFN era to 88-95% in the DAA era. However, MSM-related risk behavior and reinfections have become the key challenges towards HCV elimination in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Oncology
K. Pomej, L. Balcar, K. Shmanko, S. Welland, V. Himmelsbach, B. Scheiner, A. Mahyera, B. Mozayani, M. Trauner, F. Finkelmeier, A. Weinmann, A. Vogel, M. Pinter
Summary: There is no consensus on the optimal systemic treatment regimen for combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA) patients. This European multicenter study analyzed the clinical characteristics and outcomes of cHCC-CCA patients, focusing on those receiving palliative systemic therapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The study found no significant difference in overall survival, progression-free survival, overall response rate, and disease control rate between patients receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy (CHT) and non-cytotoxic chemotherapy (nCHT).
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Gideon M. Hirschfield, Mitchell L. Shiffman, Aliya Gulamhusein, Kris Kowdley, John M. Vierling, Cynthia Levy, Andreas E. Kremer, Ehud Zigmond, Pietro Andreone, Stuart C. Gordon, Christopher L. Bowlus, Eric J. Lawitz, Richard J. Aspinall, Daniel S. Pratt, Karina Raikhelson, Maria S. Gonzalez-Huezo, Michael A. Heneghan, Sook-Hyang Jeong, Alma L. Ladron de Guevara, Marlyn J. Mayo, George N. Dalekos, Joost P. H. Drenth, Ewa Janczewska, Barbara A. Leggett, Frederik Nevens, Victor Vargas, Eli Zuckerman, Christophe Corpechot, Eduardo Fassio, Holger Hinrichsen, Pietro Invernizzi, Palak J. Trivedi, Lisa Forman, David E. J. Jones, Stephen D. Ryder, Mark G. Swain, Alexandra Steinberg, Pol F. Boudes, Yun-Jung Choi, Charles A. McWherter
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of seladelpar in patients with primary biliary cholangitis who had inadequate response or intolerance to ursodeoxycholic acid. The results showed that seladelpar significantly improved liver biochemistry and pruritus in these patients, and it was well tolerated.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Grazia Pennisi, Marco Enea, Vincenzo Falco, Guruprasad P. Aithal, Naaventhan Palaniyappan, Yusuf Yilmaz, Jerome Boursier, Christophe Cassinotto, Victor de Ledinghen, Wah Kheong Chan, Sanjiv Mahadeva, Peter Eddowes, Philip Newsome, Thomas Karlas, Johannes Wiegand, Vincent Wai-Sun Wong, Joern M. Schattenberg, Christian Labenz, Won Kim, Myoung Seok Lee, Monica Lupsor-Platon, Jeremy F. L. Cobbold, Jian-Gao Fan, Feng Shen, Katharina Staufer, Michael Trauner, Rudolf Stauber, Atsushi Nakajima, Masato Yoneda, Elisabetta Bugianesi, Ramy Younes, Silvia Gaia, Ming-Hua Zheng, Calogero Camma, Quentin M. Anstee, Ferenc E. Mozes, Michael Pavlides, Salvatore Petta
Summary: This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of simple, noninvasive tests (NITs) in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). The results showed that liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and AGILE 3+ were better at determining advanced fibrosis compared to serum tests. The evaluation of diagnostic methods for NAFLD with T2D is clinically significant.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Mary E. Rinella, Jeffrey V. Lazarus, Vlad Ratziu, Sven M. Francque, Arun J. Sanyal, Fasiha Kanwal, Diana Romero, Manal F. Abdelmalek, Quentin M. Anstee, Juan Pablo Arab, Marco Arrese, Ramon Bataller, Ulrich Beuers, Jerome Boursier, Elisabetta Bugianesi, Christopher D. Byrne, Graciela E. Castro Narro, Abhijit Chowdhury, Helena Cortez-Pinto, Donna R. Cryer, Kenneth Cusi, Mohamed El-Kassas, Samuel Klein, Wayne Eskridge, Jiangao Fan, Samer Gawrieh, Cynthia D. Guy, Stephen A. Harrison, Seung Up Kim, Bart G. Koot, Marko Korenjak, Kris V. Kowdley, Florence Lacaille, Rohit Loomba, Robert Mitchell-Thain, Timothy R. Morgan, Elisabeth E. Powell, Michael Roden, Manuel Romero-Gomez, Marcelo Silva, Shivaram Prasad Singh, Silvia C. Sookoian, C. Wendy Spearman, Dina Tiniakos, Luca Valenti, Miriam B. Vos, Vincent Wai-Sun Wong, Stavra Xanthakos, Yusuf Yilmaz, Zobair Younossi, Ansley Hobbs, Marcela Villota-Rivas, Philip N. Newsome
Summary: This study aimed to determine if there was a need to change the nomenclature and definition of NAFLD and NASH. Through a Delphi process involving content experts and patient advocates, a consensus was reached to replace NAFLD with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MetALD) and modify the diagnostic criteria. The new nomenclature and criteria are widely supported, nonstigmatizing, and can improve awareness and patient identification.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Marta Tonon, Lorenz Balcar, Georg Semmler, Valeria Calvino, Bernhard Scheiner, Simone Incicco, Anna Barone, Rafael Paternostro, Carmine G. Gambino, David Josef M. Bauer, Antonio Accetta, Lukas Hartl, Alessandra Brocca, Mathias Jachs, Michael Trauner, Mattias Mandorfer, Paolo Angeli, Thomas Reiberger, Salvatore Piano
Summary: In cirrhotic patients who develop ascites as the first decompensation event, curing the etiology of liver disease is a crucial treatment goal as it significantly reduces the risks of further decompensation and mortality.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lorenz Balcar, David Bauer, Katharina Pomej, Tobias Meischl, Mattias Mandorfer, Thomas Reiberger, Michael Trauner, Bernhard Scheiner, Matthias Pinter
Summary: Immunotherapy is the new standard of care for hepatocellular carcinoma, but there is a need for biomarkers that predict treatment response and survival. This study suggests that the relative change in IgG after ICI treatment can serve as a negative prognostic marker in patients with HCC.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Jagoda Pokryszka, Martina Wichlas, Harald Vogelsang, Michael Trauner, Merima Herac-Kornauth, Lili Kazemi-Shirazi
Summary: We report a case of a 39-year-old patient with celiac-disease-like symptoms and MARSH 3a histology, but negative HLA genotyping and celiac-specific serology under a normal diet. Follow-up biopsies showed histologic progression of the disease to MARSH 3b, leading to the re-evaluation of the initial histological samples. After excluding other causes of duodenal villous atrophy, a correlation between the first biopsy (MARSH 3a) and Truvada intake was established.
ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GASTROENTEROLOGIE
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Bernhard Scheiner, Katharina Lampichler, Katharina Pomej, Lucian Beer, Lorenz Balcar, Riccardo Sartoris, Mohamed Bouattour, Sabrina Sidali, Michael Trauner, Mattias Mandorfer, Thomas Reiberger, Martina Scharitzer, Dietmar Tamandl, David J. Pinato, Maxime Ronot, Matthias Pinter
Summary: This study evaluated the prognostic and predictive value of baseline transversal psoas muscle thickness (TPMT) measurement in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing immunotherapy. The results showed that patients with sarcopenia had a poorer prognosis and a lower response to immunotherapy.
HEPATOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)